Method for packaging a continuous strand



W.W. DRUMMOND ETAL 2,863,208 METHOD FOR PACKAGING A CONTINUOUS STRANDFiled Dec. 29. 1953 Dec. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/MVW ATTORNEYS 1958 vw. w. DRUMMOND ET AL 2,863,208

METHOD FOR PACKAGING A commuous STRAND Filed Dec. 29, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. l Vaq'rep W Drum/pond By VV/fl/am A; fife/fATTORNEY-5 METHOD non PACKAGING A CONTINUOUS STRAND Warren WendellDrummond, Anderson, S. C., and

William R. Steitz, fiebron, Ohio, assignors to Owens- Corning FiberglasCorporation, Toledo, 01110, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationDecember 29, 1953, Serial No. 400,932

2 Claims. (CI. 28-72) This invention relates to a method for packaging acontinuous strand and to the package of strand produced by the practiceof the method.

The method of the invention is particularly applicable to the packagingof a strand simultaneously with its formation and it has advantages forthe packaging of a glass fiber strand at the time of its forming byattenuation from molten streams of glass. Textile glass fiber strandsare formed by attenuating fibers of glass which are pulled from aplurality of minute streams of molten glass at a high rate of speed, sayin the order of 10,000 feet per minute, the strand being formed byassociating a group of individual fibers in the order of from 100 to 200per strand, and then packaging the strand in or on some form ofcontainer from which it can subsequently be longitudinally removed.

Most commercial strand forming operations are performed with rotaryspools on which the strand is wound and the force created by the rotaryspool applies the tension which pulls the strand, both to associate thefibers and to attenuate the fibers from their respective streams ofmolten glass. Strand packaging on a rotary device has a number ofdisadvantages. Among them is the fact that as the package size increasesthe constrictive tension of the superposed loops and layers of strandbinds the strands more and more tightly together. The force, in fact, isso great as to crush any suitable lightweight, tubular, package on whichthe strand is wound and, consequently, complex and cumbersome expandablecollets are employed to support the package tube during the winding.This increasing constrictive force also tends to adhere the strands oneto the other where their lays cross, particularly if the strand iscoated with some coating substance that is tacky in nature.

These results of rotary tension winding interfere with the unwinding ofthe strand by causing snarls and loops and by snagging the strand,sometimes snapping it or so severely snarling it as to require that asubstantial number of turns of strand be stripped from the tube in orderto reach a free end. Under the best conditions it is diificult for anoperator to find the free end of a tightly wound spool type package.Consequently, it is conventional for the operator to strip off handfulsof strand seeking to find the free end and wasting all of the strippedmaterial.

Various suggestions have been made that a continuously produced strandof continuous fibers could be packaged merely by being deposited in alarge container and later pulled from the container in the inverse orderof its deposition. Most of these suggested processes have been lessdesirable even than the tension winding because, among other objections,merely depositing the strand in a container does not insure that laterdeposited sections of the strand shall always be on top of previouslydeposited sections of strand. In these previous processes many loops andswirls of strand are tucked under previously deposited loops and whenthe strand is being removed these previously deposited loops are pulledout of the package in inverse order; again causing substantial snags andsnarls. Another objection to these suggestions arises from the fact thatrripst coating substances which are applied to a strand during formationare tacky, at least until they have been adequately dried. When a strandthus coated engages, say a wall of a can, coating substance on thestrand tends to hang up the engaging portion of the strand so thatsubsequent portions of the strand may get underneath it or becometangled with it. v

The problems in handling a fine strand, for example, a glass fiberstrand of, say, .003 inch in diameter, and comprising as many as 200extremely fine fibers, are substantially different from thoseencountered in looping or coiling a rope or a roving in an open toppedbarrel or tub. Not only is the size of the object handled entirelydifferent but economical production of glass fiber strands requirestheir manufacture at the extremely high rate mentioned above and thisintroduces further problems.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a process forthe packaging of a continuously produced continuous fiber glass strandthat is performed simultaneously with the forming of the strand andwhich produces a package of strand of lightweight without any tension onthe strand, with very little opportunity for the strand to becomeentangled with itself, and with further advantages such as case ofdrying, ease of impregnating or coating the strand after formation andreduction of the likelihood of wastage of the strand when seeking a freeend to remove the strand from the package. 7

These and other advantages will be better understood from thespecification which follows and from the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view in elevation of a strand forming andpackaging process according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged diagrammatic illustration of the manner ofaccumulation of a strand in a package according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the packaging of a strandaccording to the invention in a package embodying a preferred form ofthe invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary further enlarged view illustrating thesimplicity of the initiation of removal of the strand from a packageproduced according to the invennon.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a package producedaccording to the invention and illustrating the removal of a strandtherefrom.

In the co-pending application of Drummond Serial No. 400,691 filedDecember 28, 1953, now U. S. Patent 2,719,351, a method and apparatusfor packaging a continuous strand in various manners is disclosed. Thepresent invention consists of an improvement over 'the method disclosedin the mentioned Drummond application wherein the process is employedfor the production of a particularly advantageous package and of thepackage itself.

A strand produced and packaged according to the in-. vention comprises alarge number of individual fibers 10 which are drawn or attenuated fromindividual streams of molten glass flowing through orifices in a bushinggenerally indicated at 11 that is located on the bottom of a moltenglass tank 12. The fibers 10 are associated together into a strand 13 bybeing led over a guide 14 where they usually are also coated with asuitable coating or lubricating material supplied to the guide 14 from atank 15 through a valve controlled drip line 16.

Longitudinal movement of the strand 13 to provide the fiber attenuatingforce is produced by engaging the strand 13 between the peripheries of apair of pulling wheels 17 which are rotated on parallel spaced axes,with their peripheries in engagement, at a speed sufficient to produce alinear speed of the strand in the order of 10,000 feet per minute. Thepulling wheels 17 as shown in Fig. 1 are provided with slottedperipheries which cause the strand 13 to be projected freely from thebite of the wheels 17, downwardly along a lineal path.

At a level below the pulling Wheels 17 but close enough thereto so thatresistance of air to the passage of the strand 13 does not yetappreciably slow the strand 13 to produce Wave configurations therein,there is located a pin traverse generally indicated at 18 and consistingof a vertical rotary shaft 19, a disk 20 or similar structure and aplurality of pins 21 mounted near the perimeters of the disk 20 androtated thereby across the path of movement of the strand 13 as itleaves the pulling wheels 17.

The speed of rotation of the pin traverse 18 is selected so that thepins 21 cross the path of movement of the strand 13 at intervals of timeappropriate to allow the strand to flow between successive ones of thepins 21 to form depending loops 22, 23, etc., as shown in Fig. 1. At thepoint of the process of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 the loop 22is supported between two successive ones of the pins 21 and the loop 23has just been released by the advanced one of the pair of pins 21 onwhich it was formed. A succeeding loop 24 is shown with one of its endshooked over a pin 21 which has just passed the path of movement of thestrand 13 but the next one of the pins 21 has notyet reached the strand13. Because of the constant speed of generation and projection of thestrand 13 and the constant speed of rotation of the pin traverse 18, theloops 22 and 23 and the successive loops formed have the same amplitudeand wave length and thus the same lineal length of strand dependsbetween successive ones of the pins 21.

As the pin traverse rotates centrifugal force acting on the loops 22,23, etc., slides them off the ends of the pins on which they wereoriginally looped in the same order as that in which they wereoriginally engaged thereby and upon departure from the pin traverse 18the loops of strand form what might be termed a travelling waveextending away and downwardly from the pin traverse 18 and lyingsubstantially in a plane which is generally tangential to the path ofmovement of the ends of the pins 22 at the point of departure of thestrand loops, for example the loop 23 from the pin 21. The strand in theloops 22, 23, etc., moves across this new path at a rate of progressiondetermined by the lineal speed of the strand 13 from the pulling wheels17 divided by the length of strand depending between succssive ones ofthe pins 21. Therefore the size of the loops and their speed are subjectto precise control.

The shape and direction of movement of the loops also is controllable bymodifying the shape of the pins 21 to provide more or less resistance tocentrifugal force. If, for example, the pins 21 extend upwardly from theplane of engagement with the strand 13, greater centrifugal force isnecessary to throw the loops off the pins 21 and the point of departureof the travelling wave is moved around the pin traverse 18 from theplace of engagement with the strand 13. Conversely, if the pins 21 areinclined downwardly at a sharp angle the loops caught thereon may bealmost instantaneously released.

Having determined the path of movement of the travelling wave inaccordance with the explanation just set forth, the process of theinvention then contemplates the positioning of an appropriately shapedreceptacle of calculated size in the path of movement of the waves ofstrand to catch such waves. In Fig. 1 this receptacle is illustrated asafabric'bag 25, the mouth of which is directed upwardly and held open bya pair of cooperating rings 26 and 27 mounted upon arms 28 and 29,respec tively, that are supported by the bracket 30. The diameter of thebag 25 is determined by the amplitude of the waves of strand to becaught therein and should be only 4 slightly larger so that eachsuccessive wave of strand enters and lies flat in the bag 25.

In actual operation, of course, ambient air currents, "slight variationsin operating conditions, etc., produce slight variations in the waveform of the strand as thrown off the pin traverse 18 and may cause aslightly helical formation in addition or in combination with thegeneral wave form of the strand. Therefore, as the waves of strand enterthe bag 25 the axes of the waves are more or less randomly disposedwithin the bag, contact with the bag walls and with other loops ofstrand causing infinite variations in the final shapes of the loops ofstrand as they fall one upon the other and accumulate in the bag 25.This random disposition of the strand in the bag 25 is highly desirablein that it results in most of the contacting portions of strand lyingacross each other at relatively large angles and thus providing butslight surfaces for interloop adhesion.

The selection of fabric as the material from which to construct the bag25 constitutes an important feature of the present invention. Becausefabric is quick to absorb any excessive lubricant on the strand ratherthan having the lubricant spread out on the surface of the bag andretain the strand by its surface tension, such strand loops as mayencounter the walls of a textile bag are not hung up but onlymementarily delayed in their travel into the bag 25. Therefore, eachsuccessively formed loop lies on top of all previously formed loops andthe tucking in of a loop portion beneath lengths of strand previouslyintroduced into the bag 25 is very unlikely.

The superposed relationship of the various strand loops can possibly bebetter understood by reference to Fig. 2 where a bag 31 is shown inbroken lines and a strand 32 in greatly enlarged disproportion as shownlying therein in a number of open loops. By following the strand 32 fromits upper end indicated at 33, downwardly into the bag 31 it will beseen that each successive loop of strand lies beneath the subsequentlyintroduced loop of strand. Conversely, by following the strand upwardlyfrom its lower end indicated at 34 it can similarly be seen that as eachloop of strand is introduced it lies on top of previously introducedloops of strand.

When it is desired to remove the strand 32 from the bag 31 the end 33 isled out of the bag. Each of the loops of strand successively i unloopedand the strand pulled out of the bag 25 or 31 with no fear of loopentanglement.

Operation according to the invention also is illustrated in Fig. 3, inparticular this figure showing a process for packaging acontinuousstrand in a package which is the preferred form. In Fig. 3 a strand 35is projected downwardly by a pair of cooperating pulling wheels 36 intothe path of movement of a multiple pin traverse 37 having a considerablenumber of pins 38. The traverse 37 is rotated at a substantial speed andthe combination of its high speed rotation and large number of pins 38causes frequent interruption of the strand 35 and thus formation ofsmall loops 39, 40, 41, etc., of strand.

In common with the showing of Fig. 1, the loops 39, 40, 41, etc., arethrown off the pin traverse 37 but, because of its higher speed ofrotation, may be thrown 011 at a point closer to the point of engagementof the pins 38 with the strand 35. The travelling wave formed by thesmall amplitude and wave length waves of strand 39, 40, 41, etc., movesthrough a controlled pathway leading to the open upper end of anelongated bag 42 of small diameter. The bag 42 is supported inappropriate wave receiving position by cooperating hanger loop mechanism43 similar to that shown in Fig. l.

The advantage of an elongated small diameter bag 42 as shown in Fig. 3is understood when it is realized that the number of loops of strandaccumulated one upon the other vertically has no effect upon either theease of packaging or removal of the strand. It is preferable thereforethat the package should be elongated with .respect to its diameter inorder to provide a substantial total length of strand and to permit themore precise control of the loop size and the reduction in size of theloops for reasons to be later explained. The bag 42 also is made offabric and has, therefore, all of the advantages already outlined forthe fabric bag.

In addition, because of the small diameter of this form of package ascompared to its length, it is simpler to locate the free end at the topof the package to initiate removal of the strand. Fig. 4 illustrates howan operators hand can reach into the top of the bag 42 and, taking holdof the top one or two loops indicated generally at 44, remove them fromthe bag 42 to start the end flowing. Because the loops 44 are of shortlength only a small length of strand may be lost at the time of startingthe removal. In contrast, on a wound package where each loop may be,say, 15 or more inches in length and where it is diflicult to ascertainwhich of the loops is the free end, an operator may waste a substantialnumber of feet before finding the actual end of the strand. To a lesserextent, but still the cause of some wastage, is the removal of thestrand from a wide open topped receptacle where each loop across thereceptacle might be, say, 2 to 3 feet in length.

After the strand is started out of the bag 42, because the loops are ofsuch small size, they unfold quite freely and with little resistance tothe movement of the strand as a whole. In Fig. 5 the strand 35 is shownbeing pulled longitudinally out of a bag 42 embodying the invention andit will be seen that even when a loop such as the loops generallyindicated at 45 does become tangled only a slight length of strand isinvolved and the entanglement is less likely to become snagged tightlyenough to interfere with the progressive pulling of the strand from thebag.

The elongated, fabric bag, type package formed by the process of theinvention has additional advantages because of its small cross section.It is frequently necessary in treating a continuous strand to coat thestrand with some form of a coating or lubricating medium, for example,the lubrication of strand at the time of formation according to Fig. 1of these drawings. Some of the lubricating or coating materials whichare placed on such strands during their formation comprise volatileswhich must be driven off the strand before it is put through the nextoperation or before it is used. If the package containing the strand isvery dense and has a substantial cross section it requires a far greaterperiod of heating or storage time to either drive off the volatiles orto allow them to escape. Since the elongated narrow package contains alength of strand equal to a package having the same volume but short andwide, no storage space problem is created by the shape of the bag for agiven length of strand, but the heat treatment or drying processes aregreatly facilitated.

Passage of fluids in the reverse direction, i. e., from without thepackage to its interior, for example, the wax coating of a strand afterformation is greatly simplified 6 in a package embodying the invention.In order to ade quately coat a strand with wax the wax must penetrateinto the very interior of the package of strand. Where the packagediameter is smaller in accordance with the instant invention thepenetration of the wax is facilitated since it may approach a largermass of strand from a shorter distance. These advantages of simplicityin aftertreatment of the strand, whether to drive material out of thepackage or to place material in the package, result from the combinationof fabric which permits penetration, and the decrease in masspenetration distance resulting from the narrower, elongated shape of thepackage.

It is, of course, within the scope of the invention and contemplatedthereby that packages of different lengths and diameters may be employedfor different purposes. The heart of the combination lies in twofactors. The first is the use of a permeable substance, preferably afabric material for the bag itself. The second is the process ofcreating the travelling wave of strand of such amplitude that it willneatly fit into the open end of the bag so that the waves of strand asthey are laid down in the bag extend substantially across the bag but donot lie against the sides of the bag in any appreciable numbers or toany appreciable extent. The control of the size of waves and theirprojection cleanly into the bag as performed according to the process ofthe invention, results in the virtual elomination of snags and snarlscaused by underlapping or tucking in of the strand.

We claim:

1. A method for accumulating a mass of a continuous flexible strand thatcomprises feeding said strand longitudinally along a substantiallylinear path, interrupting the longitudinal movement of said strand bylaterally displacing progressively spaced portions of said strand whilecontinuing the feeding of said strand along such path beyond the pointof displacement thereby forming serially connected loops, moving saidserially connected loops along a new path and depositing said loops insubstantially the order of their formation in a fluid permeable, fabriccontainer having a diameter substantially equal to the maximum dimensionof one of said loops.

2. A method according to claim 1 that is characterized by forming theloops of strand with small amplitude and feeding the loops into a fluidpermeable, fabric bag having a generally tubular shape, a diameter onlyslightly larger than the maximum lateral dimension of said loops and alength at least several times its diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,937,544 Cameron et al. Dec. 5, 1933 2,719,351 Drummond Oct. 4, 19552,721,371 Hodkinson et al Oct. 25, 1955, 2,741,009 Slayter et al. Apr.10, 1956

